Creamy Crab Bake Recipe
Creamy Crab Bake
This recipe actually called for lobster, but since I couldn’t find any that I liked at the store, I bought a container of lump crab instead and it was super yummy! (Plus, maybe a little bit cheaper). If you are needing to impress someone, make someone a special meal or just treat yourself to a nice dinner at home, this is the recipe for you! It really couldn’t have been easier and makes a great impression, plus you could make it up the day before (minus the topping) and have it all ready to throw in the oven after a long day at work…
Creamy Crab Bake
Ingredients:
FILLING:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot-minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme-minced
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 1 cup chicken broth-low-sodium
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 16 ounces lump crab-drained and picked free of shells
- Salt and pepper to taste
- TOPPING:
- 1 slice white bread-torn into pieces
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese-grated
- 1 tablespoon thyme-minced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Directions:
For the filling: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add the shallot, thyme and cayenne and cook until shallot is softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the sherry and simmer until it has nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the broth and cream and simmer until the liquid has thickened and reduced to 3/ 3/4 cup, about 10-12 minutes.
Off the heat, add the crab and season with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture between 2 shallow gratin dishes. At this point, you could cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night.
For the topping: Pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor about 20 times. Sprinkle over the gratins, sprinkle with a drizzle of olive oil and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the top is browned.
**If you made the dish ahead of time, while the oven is preheating, warm the filling in the microwave for about 4 minutes so that it is warm when you brown it in the oven.
**Serve with lemon wedges
Adapted from The Best of America's Test Kitchens, 2011